Contamination causes higher temperatures in Bogotá: study

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Air contamination continues to be a major problem in Colombia’s capital city Bogotá. A study pointed out that particular areas near the city center experience temperatures of up to six degrees higher than in the rest of the city.

The study was performed by Ricardo Castro, geographer of the Universidad Nacional, and showed that the zones of El Chapinero and Puente Aranda are most heavily affected by the pollution.

The contamination in these areas causes a sense of obscurity, while infra red waves do manage to find their way to the ground but are then blocked by the layer of pollution. This causes the significant rise in temperature.

Reportedly, this increase is at its strongest between 1pm and 3pm, when temperatures can be 4 to 6 degrees higher than in other neighborhoods.

Castro adds that high traffic rates are to blame for the situation in El Chapinero, which contains some of the city’s most important avenues such as the Avenidad Caracas and la Carrera Séptima.

In Puente Aranda’s case, the pollution is particularly to blame on factories and other forms of industry.

Universidad de Los Andes representative Eduardo Behrentz added that one of the things citizens can do to fight this problem is to drive their car in a less aggressive manner as heavy accelerations and switching lanes have a negative impact on the environment.

Contamination causes higher temperatures in Bogotá: study was last modified: March 16th, 2009 by Jonathan Roorda